Orion daily update: 3:30pm, Tuesday 8 March 2011

This information may have been superseded.
For the latest updates, go to the Power page.

Please note: We ask people in the Eastern suburbs to use as little electricity as possible at this time. Read this statementfor more information.

This mapshows the power supply situation on the Orion electricity network in the Christchurch region.

This diagram shows the different levels of the electricity network with an indication of the earthquake damage at each level.

Key points:

As at 3 pm today, 8,900 customers in Christchurch were still without power (down from 13,100 yesterday)

98% of our network has power restored (this percentage figure excludes CBD customers who cannot be reconnected due to restricted access as advised by Civil Defence and the Fire Service).

The numbers by area still without power are:

3,100 in the New Brighton and Dallington areas and surrounds (down from 7,400 yesterday) – this includes the suburbs of Bexley, Bromley, Aranui, Avonside, and parts of Burwood and Shirley

600 from Mt Pleasant to Sumner (all areas east of the Ferrymead bridge)

4,700 in the CBD (within the four avenues)

400 across the remainder of network. This number fluctuates as customers phone to tell us their power is off.

The 11kV cable out of the New Brighton substation which failed on Sunday night has now been fixed again.

We continue to find new cable faults as we reliven parts of the network. This highlights just how fragile the network is. It is crucial that customers continue to do everything they can to conserve electricity, so we can share supplies around.

While we continue to find new faults, the total number of customers without power may start to fluctuate slightly on a daily basis, and people should remain prepared for further power cuts.

We have 4,500 customers connected to 20 generators in the Eastern suburbs. We are reviewing where generators can be best utilised. The generator which arrived from Australia yesterday will be deployed in the Redcliffs area today. The more people conserve power the more customers we can connect to these generators.

50% of the power is on in the wider CBD. Power is not on in all parts of zones one and two which reopened on Sunday. We caution that restoring power to the wider CBD will be slow and difficult. Many of the substations and cables supplying the CBD are in the red zone, many under fallen and damaged buildings.

Civil Defence continues to ask us to turn the power off to parts of the CBD for safety reasons, so further power cuts in the CBD are likely.

Important messages for consumers:

If you have the power back on in the Eastern suburbs, please conserve electricity. The capacity of the power network is limited until all cables are repaired, and lower demand enables us to ‘share it around’. Turn off unnecessary appliances such as heated towel rails, and keep lights etc to a minimum. During any cold weather, wrap up in warm clothing and use bottled gas heaters and wood burners wherever possible. You CAN use your electric blanket.

If you do not have the power back on yet, turn the power off at the main switch, unplug all appliances at the wall and make sure the stove is turned off. This reduces the risk of fire when the power is restored.

If you have any concerns about the state of your house or building leave the power off at the mains until it has been inspected by an electrician.